Apparatus for fiber collection



July 24, 1951 1. E. COLEMAN l 2,561,343

APPARATUS FOR FIBER COLLECTION Filed July 6, 1948 8 www, 4

Mum M .n wcm N -MUA @Y B Patented July 24,` 1951 John E. Coleman,

Johns -Manville Alexandria, Ind., assgnor to Corporation, New York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New York i Application July 6, 1948,` Serial No. 37,268

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of artificial fibers and, more particularly, to an improved apparatus for converting a material, such as a molten raw material, into fibers and for forming a mat or felt therefrom. yThe invention is particularly concerned with the production of mineral wool by which term is meant Wool or fibers formed from rock, slag, glass, mixtures thereof and like raw materials, and will be speciiically described in that connection. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may be employed in the manufacture of fibers of other thermoplastic materials.

Heretofore, mineral wool has been made in a number of ways including the conventional method of disintegrating a molten raw material into a multiplicity of fibers by the action of`a high pressure steam jet and gathering the bers on` a conveyor forming the floor of ay blowchamber positioned forwardly of the berizing means. More recently it has been proposed to berize the molten material by spinners or rotors rotated at `high speed. l Under the centrifugal force set up by the high speed rotation of the rotors, porv tions of the molten material carried by the rotors are drawn out into fine fibers or threads. The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for collecting the fibers from operations of the latter type.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved apparatus which diverts the fibers from their normal paths of movement from the rotor surfaces and carries them to a collection chamber to be `deposited therein in the form of a relatively uniform mat or felt. The invention also provides for the separation of shot and other unfiberized particles from the fibers.

. Briefly stated, my invention resides in an apparatus including a collection chamber having an entrance opposite the flberizing device, the entrance being defined in part by a threshold, preferably spaced from the bottom of the collection chamber. A housing surrounds the entrance and `fiberizing device, the housing extending substantially below the threshold. Means are provided to set up air currents passing through the housing and then into the collection chamber, the air currents forming, in effect, aeriform walls on each side of the fiberizing device to limit the outward movement of the bers and to vre-direct them into the collection chamber. At the same time unfiberized particles or shot, due to their greater inertia, pass through the airstreams out of the fiber collecting zone. e

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention `which is to `follow and to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a longitudinal, sectional view,l taken through an apparatus embodying the instant invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an apparatus including fiber producing means indicated generally at ID and which may include a melting furnace I2 of any suitable type, such as a cupola, as illustrated. The furnace includes a discharge trough I4 through which a stream of molten slag, rock, glass or other liber forming material is drawn from the furnace and dis-` charged in positionto be' contacted by a rotor berizing device, indicated generally at I6. The latter is of the type employing, preferably, a plurality of "rotors supported to have their 'peripheral edges in position to be contacted by the molten material discharged from trough I4. The molten material is discharged onto the peripheral surfaces of the rotors and fibers are drawn from the material by centrifugal force upon high speed rotation of the rotors. The particular construction of the rotary berizing device may vary but typical constructions are shown in patent to Powell, #2,428,810, issued October 14, 1947, and in the `co-pending application of Edward R. Powell, S. N. 742,064, `filed April 17, 1947, now abandoned.

In accordance with the instant invention a fiber collection chamber I8 is located adjacent and forwardly of the berization device I6. Collection chamber I8, which is relatively airtight,V

except for the openings to be described, includes a bottom wallsuitably comprising a conveyor 20 adapted to be supported on rolls 22 and to be driven in the direction indicated by the arrow (see Fig. 1) by` any suitable means (not shown). A suction box 24 is located intermediate the upper and lower reaches of the conveyor with its open side adjacent the upper reach of the conveyor. The suction box may be connected to any suitable air-exhausting device (not shown) as by means of duct 26.

The forward Wall 28 of the collection chamber is provided with `an exit port 3U through which the accumulated fibers are delivered by the conveyor to any suitable re-handling apparatus.

Port 30 is preferably defined in part by a roll 32 rfrom threshold 38, is a front wall 44.

the berizing device I6 and extending upwardly" if and forwardly to join the rear wall, of the col.- lection chamber, and downwardly and rearward-'- ly to a point remote from the berizer. Also ex''-.i.

tending downwardly, and preferablyrearwardly 42 and 44 form a pocket 46 in whichsuitable means (not shown) may be provided to removev Walls unberized particles and shot collected :in theI pocket. The sides of the housing are closed by side. walls-of anysuitable type,indicatedat 48f in Fig. 2.- f l Rear. Wall 42 is provided with: openings tore= c eive the shafts and.Y otherA elementsof fiber-izing.` device i6 and also to: receive trough I4 `topermit these..elements to extendA into .thefinterior of the housing.

Rear wall 42 is also provided with#` air inlet: openings adapted -to eoact ywith suction* device 24 to set up airstreams surrounding .thevberizf ing deviceVand of a character to control. .the movement of the bers formed by the berizing. devceland carry-them into thecollection charnber. Thse' air inletsinclude an upper inlet: 50- comprising. a relativelyv narrowsht extending` substantially horizontally above lthe berizing device, side inlets .comprising slots 524 on` opposite.. sides' of the berizing'. device., and a lower airl inlet 54 remotefrom. the rotorsand preferably adjacent the lower end of pocket 46. Air inlet. l! Icomprises a horizontally. extending slit. of preferably greater. width than the other. inlets to permit the lentry of .a greater quantityof a-ir. It will be appreciated that, although, continuous. slits are shown, this'` is not necessary. andthat.v any orall of the 'airinl'etsmay be made up of a4 series of slits. or. openings`..,ofV other, shapes; if desired.

Inthe operation. of .the apparatus-described abovey and in carrying. out the. methodof` they inventionthereon, molten material is discharged frointrough. I4 onto theperipheral edgesof the* rotors of berizing device |16. -The` rotors.I are rotated at high speed to causeportionstof the.- molten. material vto be thrown -or drawnoi into longflne fibers vunder the centrifugal io1zces created.v `As will be readily .understood,the. fibers:v arefdrawn.substantiallyftangentiallyi:to the rotors andi'n .theplanes of the rotors and normally tendV to continuemovement in suchpaths.

Tocontrol the movement of they fibers. anddivert them into the collection chamber, .the air.

exhausting means is operated` to. cause air flow- -fromthe' collection chamber into. the sucti'onbox 24.' The withdrawal.' of air from the collection chamber inturn `sets upair' currents flowing` through the severalv air' inlet ports '56; 52"Ln-CI" 54 and'into the collection 'chamber'. These air" currents, flowing through ports 5D' and A52, jcreatee what is, in effect, aeriform walls which b'lock'th'e" upward andro'utward movements off' the! fibers andfdivert them fromvth'e'ir normal' paths*and*vv lead :thema into the collection cha-n1ber.l 1

It.hasbeentfoundthat, theuse of a beriza-' tion-.rdevicaoi the-kind' referred? to, the: l'highest-1 proportion of the bers are drawn from the rotor surfaces as they pass through their lower and adjacent arcs of revolution. This condition, combined with the tendency of the fibers to sink under the inuence of gravity, causes the greater mass of the fibers to be discharged downwardly below the rotors. In order to overcome this movement and to lift the bers and distribute th'enr in the collectionrchamber, the threshold 38 and air inlet 54, previously described, are employed. Air entering port 54 sets up an airstream whichisweeps inwardly and upwardly of pocket 46 adjacent wall 44 and over threshold 38. Inlithis way'suicient downward movement of the fibers -ispermitted to avoid interference with the berizing'operation and to prevent undue entanglement@ and, at the same time, an airstream of suicient velocity is created to reverse thefdirection of movement of the bers and carry them into the collection chamber.

The .bersfv entering.; the collection. chamber in aeriforirrv suspension arer drawnv downwardlyiby. gravityand by the yflow.. of air into. suction.-z boxy 24 andldeposited on' the conveyor in the form: of.' an interfeltedi or matted layer. The layer vcone` tinually. formed. in this manner isr carriedrfromx the'collectionchamber` by the* conveyorY yandxmay,` thereafterbe' subjectedy tol any further. operations. necessary to converti it' into a'. nal'product.

. It will Abe vappreciatedfithatrwherea modifiedl product is. desired, a. treating. .material may ybe sprayed '.int'othe. suspension. Lof. fibers; by suitablef. means (not shown) Themethoduand.apparatus in accordanceiwith the instant invention insures collectionl 'oft'.the: greaterportion. of all! the relatively:v line".rlb'ersrv Onnv the other hand', unberized. .particles,1fii.. e.,

sh'otandvmany fcoar'sef fibers, due .to` their 'greaterr inertia;- pass through the airstrearnsE tof/strike the walls` of the liousingzand fall to` thefbottomof pocket;y llffrcm which they'. maybe removed in any" `suitable way'. Hence, eiic'ien't 1collection.A of the 'usable'.bersf and separation oftheun-f' usablel materials lis attained.` Hawingmhus describedlmyiinventiorrin rather fullldetail, it will befunderstood'ithat these: d'e--S` tailsinneed fnotitbe': strictly :adhered rito. but' that?4 various changes ands/modifications may. :suggestithemselves to one'L' skilled. fin* the art,v all:r falling: within Vthe scope of' ltheinvention.. as defined; .by the.subioined'claimsi;:

WhatI claim-fis: 1 y

1; In aliiber` forming andacollecting-:apparatusi including "rotor means .1 for: convertingxa molten: raw? 'materialintot .fibers/ and: dischargingi:ithea` bers substantially-tangentially .therefrom",` theI improvement scompri'sing,` a ber.` .collecting chamber to" .receiverthe ber-s1formeclA by said rotor means, an `entrance'` opening in` the cham-1. bei opposite the rotor means'and!the'plane of" dischargeiof the. fibers', said` entrance openingP including-v -a threshold deflningr the l'owerlled'ge'.-

. mmm...

opening including a threshold defining the lower boundary thereof, a housing surrounding said rotor means and entrance opening and extending below said threshold, and means for setting up airstreams iiowing laterally past said rotor means and over said rotor means and for setting up an airstream flowing from the lower part of the housing upwardly and over said threshold to confine the paths of movement of fibers formed by said rotor means and to direct the fibers into the collecting chamber.

3. In a fiber forming and collecting apparatus including rotor means for converting a molten raw material into fibers and discharging the fibers substantially tangentially therefrom, the improvement comprising, a fiber collecting charnber to receive the fibers, an entrance opening in the chamber opposite said rotor means and the plane of discharge of the fibers, said entrance opening including a threshold defining the lower edge thereof, a housing surrounding said rotor means and entrance opening and extending below said threshold, an air port in a wall of the housing below said threshold, and means for setting up a current of air flowing through said port and upwardly and over said threshold to carry said bers to said collecting chamber.

4. In a fiber forming and collecting apparatus including rotor means for converting a molten raw material into bers and discharging the fibers substantially tangentially therefrom, the improvement comprising, a fiber collecting chamber to receive the fibers, an entrance opening in said chamber opposite said rotor means and the plane of discharge of the fibers, said entrance opening including a threshold defining the lower edge thereof, a housing surrounding said rotor means and entrance opening and extending below said threshold, means extending through said housing to deliver molten material to said rotor means air ports in a wall of said housing on opposite sides of said rotor means, an airport in said wall above said rotor means and molten material delivery means an airport in the wall of said housing below said threshold, and means for seting up air currents flowing through said air ports and through the chamber to direct the fibers into the collecting chamber.

5. In -a fiber forming and collecting apparatus including rotor means for converting a molten raw material into fibers and discharging the fibers substantially tangentially therefrom, the

improvement comprising, a fiber collecting chamber to receive the fibers, an entrance opening in the chamber opposite said rotor means and the plane of discharge of the fibers, said entrance opening including a threshold defining the lower edge thereof, an air-pervious fioor in said collecting chamber, means for withdrawing air through said floor, a housing surrounding said rotor means and entrance opening and extendingbelow said threshold, and an air port in the wall of the housing below said threshold whereby, upon withdrawal of air through said fioor, an air current fiows through said port and upwardly and over said threshold to carry fibers therewith.

6. In a fiber forming and collecting apparatus including rotor means for converting a molten raw material into fibers and discharging the fibers substantially tangentially therefrom, the improvement comprising, a fiber collecting chamber to receive the fibers, an entrance opening in the chamber opposite said rotor means and the plane of discharge of the fibers, said entrance opening including a threshold defining the lower edge thereof, an air-.lpervious fioor in said collecting chamber, means for withdrawing air through said floor, a housing surrounding said rotor means and entrance and extending below said threshold, means extending through said housing to deliver molten material to said rotor means air ports in a wall of said housing on opposite sides of said rotor means, an airport in said wall above said rotor means and said molten material material delivery means and an airport in a wall of said housing below said threshold whereby airstreams defining fiber confining `aeriform walls ow past said rotor means and direct the fibers into the collecting chamber.

JOHN E. COLEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

